Quick, hearty pea and ham soup with a twist

I once made a slow-cooker version of pea and ham soup from a recipe book my husband was given when he left home. To say it was awful does not even begin to describe the disaster that was the dish. I kicked myself for not sticking with my tried-and-true family recipe and vowed never to go ‘off script’ again.

And I didn’t… Until now! This cheat’s version of a traditional pea and ham soup uses lentils instead of peas and bacon instead of ham — but tastes exactly the same. It’s delicious, healthy and very easy to pull together. It’s also very filling. Enjoy!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 bacon rashers, finely chopped
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups dried red lentils
• 1.5L chicken stock

Method

1. Heat oil over medium heat and cook bacon, onion, carrot and garlic until soft.
2. Add lentils and cook for another minute to coat.
3. Add stock and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until lentils are soft and soup is thick.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste before serving.